The Real Turtles
by Gadoken King
Summary: A fresh start on the story of the Ninja Turtles. A heavy focus on character development and the relationships that form between the four brothers and their master. starts from the begining of their ninja training.
1. A master's reflections

Authors note: I've kinda walked away from the fanfiction world for a while. But suddenly I've felt the urge to write again. But rather than jump back into some of my half written stories, I've decided to start something new, and see where it takes me. This in no way follows any specific canon from any of the exisiting storylines out there. This is my interpretation of the legend of the ninja turtles, a legend i have heard many versions of since I was a young child. It sounds silly to use a word like legend for something like this, but when you think about it, things like the ninja turtles and all of our other entertainment are this era's legends and myths. in this story i will try to put a realistic spin on the turtles as i attempted to flesh out their personalities into much more three demensional characters in a real world. Or come as close as I can, anyhow. And I also promise to do all i can to put personal bias aside. This story will revolve around all four turtles. I have a favorite turtle, and I have a turtle I absolutely loathe, but I will do what I can to keep that from showing. But enough rambling from me. On with the show.

* * *

I hope my sons can forgive me. All of their short lives, they have wanted nothing more than a normal exisitence. But i fear fate will allow no such thing. Even with their altered forms, they could attempt a life of peace below the ground. Yet somehow, I feel that the world they live in will not give them that chance. New York City is constantly growing, always changing. It seems the city has a pulsing lifeblood of its own.

Every day, clans of outcast youths delve deeper into these sewers to find a place of their own to hide. From what i can gather, they call themselves the Purple Dragons. They are troubled youths, warped by the harsh realities of life in the urban jungle. I use all of my skills of deception and misdirection, but I fear they may one day stumble upon our lair. On top of this, workers from the world above constanly push their limits, searching for more room and more power to fuel their monster of a city. It will only be a matter of time before they find us.

I find myself left with little choice. The world above us will never be able to accept us. And I will not always be here to protect them. With a heavy heart, i must place the burden of the ancient art of ninjitsu upon my young sons. I have studied their movements for some time, and have decided on weapons for each of them.

The eldest, Leonardo, shall wield the traditional katana blades of ancient Japan. Out of all of my sons, he possesses the keenest skills, unkowingly passing many of the camoflouged tests I have put him through. His will is strong, and had he been born to a normal life, he may very well have been a great leader of men.

The bo staff is a weapon of skill, not strength. Donatello has shown an intelligence far greater than that of his brothers. His nature is gentle. The staff will allow him to keep his distance from his enemies. Hopefully, with his mind, he will find few instances where he needs use it.

Deep within Raphael, I sense rage. Rage against fate for having locked him within the sewers. Rage against the people who would never understand him. Rage against himself, for not being able to cope. Hopefully, the training of a ninja will give him the calmness and discipline that he so desperately needs. For him, the sai. A three pronged dagger of sorts. Proper use of the sai takes great ability. If Raphael can get past his anger, I believe he will excel.

I have given it much thought, and i have decided that young Michelangelo will not be trained. It is not simply that he is the youngest. His smile, his laugh. They remind me all too well that my sons are simply boys. Boys searching for answers in a world that has abandonded them. Michelangelo will retain the innocence that his brothers will be robbed of. He will be the tether that keeps the others focused. Their younger brother.

This decision, the decision to turn my sons into weapons, has taken much out of me. It will be with a heavy heart that I teach them the ancient art of assasination. But these skills will serve them well. My time will soon come, and then they will have nothing left to rely on but these skills. And each other...

Excerpt from the memoirs of Master Splinter.

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AN- just a little opener to set the tone and the scene of my story. The next chapter will pick up as the turtles begin their training. If possible, please leave some reviews with feedback. I know very little of the TMNT community here at fanfiction, and would like to know where you all stand. New chapter will be up soon! 


	2. Young minds

AN- Well, it seems I have the attention of some of you. And just to let everyone know, this won't be just a prequel. As the story goes on, the turtles will age, and I plan on going up to and past the events that lead to the fight with the Shredder. On with the show!

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"Splinter, where are we going?" The eight year old Leonardo asked, tugging on the edge of his adopted father's robe.

The wise rat's hand came to rest on his son's head. "You must not worry about the destination, Leonardo, as much as you worry about the journey that leads you there."

Leonardo nodded, trying his best not to look confused. Splinter smiled. "One day, it will make sense. Now, all of you, gather around me. I have presents for all of you."

At the sound of presents, all of the young turtles' faces lit up. The youngest shouldered his way in front of his brothers. "Ooh! Me! Me first! Presents!"

"Patience, Michaelangelo." From behind his back, Splinter revealed a fairly worn looking piece of wood, with four wheels attached to the bottom. Michaelangelo grabbed it from his father's hands, eager to play with his new toy. He set it down upside down on the floor and spun the wheels with his hand. After several moments, he looked up sheepishly. "Um, what's it do?"

Splinter shook his head, trying to hide the look of amusment on his face. "Now you understand the value of patience." The young turtle smiled and nodded his head enthusiastically. With a small smirk, Splinter turned the board over, allowing the wheels to touch the floor. "You ride on it, my son. But you must be carefu-"

"Whoo!" Michelangelo jumped on, gliding forward for a few feet before losing his balance, sending himself and the board flying into the air. He rolled to a stop in front of his brothers, who all burst out laughing.

"Michealangelo! What did I just say about patience?"

"You said now I understand the value of it?"

Splinter sighed. "Obviously you do not. Now, ride carefully and slowly, and see if you can go around the whole area. Do not wander too far."

Michelangelo nodded, unsteadily climbing back onto the skateboard. After several accidents, Michealangelo dissapeared from view. Now Splinter turned back to his other sons. Donatello went to open his mouth, but Raphael pushed him aside. "So what did you get me?"

"Did you not learn the lesson of patience? You will all recieve your gifts in time. Now, wait your turn, Raphael!"

Raphael scowled. He hated hearing his full name. Mostly because it was only used when he was in trouble. The few times he wasn't in trouble, he preferred to be called Raph. "Yes, Splinter..." He growled slightly as he heard a faint chuckle come from Donatello. _Oh, you wait till later, Donnie... Splinter won't always be there to protect you._

"Now, all three of you, come closer."

All differences lost to the thought of gifts, the three turtles gathered around their father. From the recesses of his robe, he produced three sets of weapons. The katana, the sai, and the bo staff. He handed each turtle their weapon. Raphael and Donatello looked at their weapons in confusion. "What are these for?"

Leonardo swung his swords around inexpertly. "I know!"

Raphael rolled his eyes. "Oh, of course you know. You just think you're so cool, don't you, Leo?"

The eldest turtle stuck out his toungue. "Shut up, Raphael. Heroes use these to fight bad guys! I saw them in a comic book once."

Splinter nodded. "Leonardo is correct. These are weapons, used to strike down evil. They are used to protect your family. With proper training, no evil will be able to hurt you or your younger brother. You will no longer need to live in fear."

Leonardo listened with awe in his eyes. "You mean, we can be ninja like you?"

"From this day forth, you will refer to me as sensei. Your training will be harsh, but it will bear great results. I believe in you all. Together, no force will be able to stop you."

Donatello scratched his head. "But, what about Mikey?"

Splinter shook his head. "Your brother is too young, too unfocused. It will be your job to protect him. That is the way of a true ninja. Now, enjoy the rest of the day, as your training begins tommorow!"

The three turtles nodded. "Yes, sensei."

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AN- Yes, I am aware these chapters are short. I would have done this chapter sooner, but I caught a nasty flu, and Nyquil induced psychosis is not the best time to write a chapter, i think. I just wanted to introduce my versions of the young turtles, and show a bit of characterization. New chapter will be up soon, bar any sort of catastrophy. See you soon, and keep reviewing. it does drive me to work harder. 


	3. Alligators

AN- Well, this little story seems to be drawing quite a bit of attention to itself. Hurray, Hopefully, I can keep up with your expectations.

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The three young trainees sighed as they collapsed onto the floor. Splinter's training had proven to be harder than they thought.

"You have all done well so far. But not all training is of the body. You will now settle your thoughts, and focus your minds."

Splinter crossed his legs and adopted his favorite position for meditation. "Sit as I do, my sons."

Leonardo eagerly emulated his master, trying his best to perfectly copy his every movement. Raphael rolled his eyes as he and Donatello sat down.

"Now, close your eyes. Focus until everything vanishes, leaving you with nothing but yourself. Only then can you begin true self exploration."

Donatello nodded. _I may not be able to keep up with Leo, but I should be good at this meditation thing. Master says my mind is strong. I... ow!_

The young turtle grimaced as he was pulled out of his thoughts. There was a sharp pain on the side of his head, and Raphael was looking a little too innocent as he pretended to be lost in meditation. He turned to Splinter, but his father was wrapped inside his mental shell. Rubbing his head slightly, he frowned and tried to regain his concentration.

_Raph is such a baby. He's just mad becau... ow!_

Donatello bit back a yelp as he felt another flick on the side of his head. He turned and glared at Raphael, who was radiating an aura of tranquility. Shaking his head, he once again turned inward.

Raphael tried his hardest not to snicker. _Donnie is such a wuss! And Leo is so wrapped up in doing this perfect he isn't paying attention... _Raph hesitantly opened one eye... made sure no one was looking... reached torward Donatello... and...

WHAM!

Raphael held his head in pain. Splinter's walking stick returned to it's master's side, and the old rat glared at Raphael.

"Raphael! No more of this nonsense! Bullying your brother only shows your own weakness!"

Donatello frowned at his brother, nursing the side of his head. "Yeah, you stupid jer..."

"Donatello! A ninja only shows strength when standing up for himself and others! Your inaction shows your weakness!"

Both brothers hung their heads in shame.

"You would both do well to follow your brother's example. The purpose of this excercise is to not allow one's surroundings to distract you!"

Leonardo never opened his eyes, but his mouth formed into a small smile at the sound of his father's praise.

"Now, Raphael, as you seem so eager to do something else, you will take up the punishment position out in the living room."

"But, sensei..."

"Quiet! It is obvious that you cannot meditate with your brothers. You will hold the position for ten minutes! Go!"

Raph hung his head and slunk out of the room. "Be more like your brother, _Raphael._ Don't pick on Donnie, _Raphael..._" Raph growled as he immitated his master's harsh words.

"How's Donnie gonna learn to stand up for himself if I don't pick on him?" Sighing, he found a corner of the living room and flipped onto his hands. The turtles had only been training for a few days, but Raphael already knew the punishment position well. Splinter's punishment consisted of maintaining a handstand for a specified amount of time. The young ninja contemplated jumping onto the couch and relaxing, but quickly thought better of it. Splinter always seemed to know if he wasn't doing as he was told.

Several minutes went by in silence as Raphael struggled to keep his position. Suddenly, from out of the corner of his eye, he saw something green approaching. He let out a small groan.

"Hey Raph. You in trouble again?"

"Quiet, Mikey."

The youngest turtle nodded, and for a moment, watched his brother in silence. But curiosity got the better of him.

"You look funny doing that, Raph. Is that hard to do?"

_Someone please kill me..._ "No, Mikey, it isn't hard to do."

"Okay." Another moment of silence. Then the child scratched his head. 'My skateboard is hard. I fell off eight times today."

"That's good, Mikey."

Michaelangelo nodded. "Yep."

"Mikey, I'm kinda in the middle of something. Don't you have something else to be doing?"

"Nope." Suddenly, an idea popped into his head. "Hey, Raph, what happens if I do this?"

Mikey began to poke Raphael in the face as the older turtle tried to maintain balance. "Hey! Knock it off, ya nutbag! Ow!" In a last ditch defense, Raphael waited until the finger got closer. _Wait for it..._

Chomp!

Michaelangelo's eyes went wide as his brother bit down on his finger. He yanked it away, and tears began to form in his eyes. Raphael's look of triumph turned to one of fear.

"Mikey, wait. I'm sorry, little bro! Don't cry!"

"You're not sorry!" sniff "You just don't wanna get in trouble!"

"That's right! I don't wanna get in trouble, so I'm sorry!"

Michelangelo's tears halted for a moment as he considered this. He shrugged and turned back to his brother.

"I bet I can stand on my hands too."

Raphael rolled his eyes at his brother's whimsical nature. "I bet you can."

"No, really. Look."

Mikey tried to immitate his brother, jumping onto both hands. He managed to hold the position for a moment, but his balance began to sway. His legs flailed violently for a moment before his entire body fell to one side, toppling over his older brother.

"That does it! C'mere, you little idiot!"

The young turtle screamed in fear as he jumped up, running away from his impending doom. The two brothers ran around the room for a bit, but just as Raphael caught up to his prey, the sound of a throat being cleared echoed across the room.

"Unless I am mistaken, that does not appear to be the punishment position, Raphael."

Michaelangelo darted behind his father as Raph cringed at the sound of oncoming punishment. "Um, no sensei, it isn't."

"Dad, dad... Raph was gonna beat me up! And yesterday, he said he was gonna hang me upside down over the water, so the alligators could eat me!"

"Don't worry, Michaelangelo. He won't hold you over the water."

"Do the alligators really eat turtles?"

"Perhaps. It would be best to avoid any if you should see them, don't you think?"

Michaelangelo nodded. "I'm gonna go play."

As his brother ran off, Raphael tried to swallow the lump he felt forming in his throat.

"Ten more minutes, sensei?"

Splinter raised an eyebrow. "Try twenty."

Raphael groaned as his master walked off. Splinter shook his head and smiled to himself. "Alligators...?"

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AN- This chapter looked so perfect as it played out in my head, but as is usually the case, it lost something in the translation to the computer. I wish i could animate these chapters. Although I still think it came out alright. As usual, let me know what you think!

Klyde


	4. A friendly match

AN- Hey guys. Sorry this update was a bit longer, but I had to move, so that kinda took up a lot of my time. That, and I've had this damn chapter written for like 3 days. Something's been wrong with the site. Anyhow. Enjoy.

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"Now, the two of you may be brothers, but I want to put your all into this fight. Understood?"

Raphael and Donatello both nodded in understanding, Donatello a little less enthusiastically. As soon as Splinter's walking stick smacked into the ground, Raphael dashed at his brother.

"C'mon, Donnie! You scared?"

Donatello shook his head, not taking the time to answer his brother's rhetorical question. Instead, he gritted his teeth and prepared for Raphael's onslaught. _He may be strong, but his attacks have no focus..._

Raphael threw out his right fist in a charging punch. Don ducked the fist, taking a step back to give himself some breathing room. But his older brother pressed his advantage, following up with a series of rapid jabs that Donatello found impossible to dodge. One shot found its mark, grazing the young turtle on the right cheek. Stumbling backwards, he let out a short gasp as his shell met the wall of the sparring room.

"Donatello! You must learn to hold your ground!" Splinter's harsh voice rang out from the sidelines.

_A little late for that, don't you think?_ He let out a little sigh and attempted to focus, waiting for an opportunity to take a shot at his brother. His eyes lit up as he noticed Raphael's legs tensing up. _Going for that spin kick, are you? Well, it's now or never..._

"You can do it, Donnie! Don't be scared!" Leonardo yelled out, cheering for his little brother.

As Raphael jumped into the air, he spun around, whipping his leg out in a powerful kick. Donatello took a deep breath, did his best to steel himself, and pushed out his shoulder, ramming his brother's incoming leg as hard as he could. He felt his arm ignite in pain, but his mission was accomplished as Raphael's spin kick was repelled, sending him crashing into the ground.

Out of pure instinct, Donatello threw himself to the left, rolling his way out of the corner. He took a second to nurse his arm as he waited for Raphael to get back up.

"Not bad, Donnie... But all you did was make me angry!"

The soft-spoken turtle cringed as Raphael lunged at him, throwing lightning quick punches. He took a second to pull himself together, and found dodging his brother's punches wasn't as hard as it looked. _His anger is blinding him. I wonder if he's even aiming? _

Splinter's voice once again sang out. "Raphael! Do not use your anger to fight! It leaves you open!"

Raphael growled, his teeth grinding together as he put all of his power into one heavy punch. Donatello ducked under it, feeling his brother's fist fly over his head. Using all of his momentum, he stood back up as fast as he could, throwing all of his energy into an uppercut that found its mark on the bottom of Raphael's jaw. There was a sickening crunch as Raph lifted into the air. He hung there for what seemed like a full minute, before he came sprawling down on the floor. Donatello looked at his own fist in amazement. But he looked even more shocked as he saw his brother slowly rise to his feet. There was a bit of blood dripping from his mouth, which was set in a small smirk. He looked angry, but his breathing had slowed considerably.

"I almost let you get me there, bro. I won't make that mistake twice."

Splinter shook his head. _A difficult lesson learned through hardship…_

Donatello backed up slowly, a deep fear building within him. _That was the best shot I'll ever get on him... I don't think I can beat him... He's gonna kick my shell..._

The two turtles circled each other slowly, one the prey, one the hunter. Donatello's fear began to manifest physically, sweat dripping from his face.

"Don't let him beat you, Donnie! You can do it!" Once again, Leonardo's encouragement sounded from next to their master.

Splinter sighed. _This fight has been decided, it seems. _"Donatello! Do not allow your fear to restrict you! Take the initiative!"

Donatello nodded nervously, but before he could move, Raphael dashed forward, grabbing his brother's shoulders with either hand. The younger turtle's eyes opened wide in surprise, but before he could react, Raphael reared his head back before bringing it forward, connecting their two skulls with a savage head-butt. Donatello's eyes rolled backwards as his body gave out, collapsing to the ground.

Splinter's stick slammed into the ground, signifying the end of the match. "Excellent work, Raphael."

Raph smiled despite himself. When Splinter said his name in approval, there was a much better sound to it.

"You okay, Donnie?" Leonardo helped his brother up into a sitting position. The young turtle gave his older sibling a sheepish grin.

"Raph's really strong. I'm lucky I did that well."

Leo smiled. "Don't worry, Donnie. You did great."

Splinter nodded. "You both did quite well. You have taken to your training exceptionally." The old rat returned to his position as overseer on his mat at the back of the room. "Now, Raphael. You and Leonardo will have a match."

Raphael's smile quickly faded into a frown. "I don't wanna fight Leo! It's no fun!"

Leonardo glared at his brother. "What do you mean?"

"I mean I hate sparring with you! You always win!"

The older turtle shook his head and crossed his arms. "Well, maybe you need to train harder!"

Raphael's hands clenched into fists. "Train harder?! I do push-ups all night after you guys go to bed! I train a lot harder than you do!"

Leonardo shrugged. "But I still win."

"And it isn't fair! You always win the sparring matches, you always win when we play tag, you always finish Master's test first, and you always do best in weapons training! I train harder, so I should be stronger!" Raphael's fists were shaking in rage, and his eyes were red from fighting back tears.

Leo rolled his eyes. "Training isn't always about physical strength, Raphael."

At the sound of his name, Raphael's temper exploded. "You shut up! What do you know?!" He threw out his hands, shoving his older brother as hard as he could. Leonardo stumbled backward, more from shock than any actual damage as Raphael ran off, quick, short sobs escaping from him as he lost control.

"My son—wait!" Splinter jumped up, chasing after his student.

Leonardo pulled himself together and shrugged. He turned to Donatello.

"How about it, bro? You wanna go a round?"

Donatello hung his head, not making eye contact. "I'm sorry Leo... but Raph is right. It's no fun when you always win." He turned his back and slowly walked off, leaving the eldest brother alone in the sparring room.

Leonardo stood still for a moment, tears welling up in his eyes.

_I'm the oldest... I'm not allowed to cry..._

He repeated this to himself in his mind several times, before eventually giving up, dropping to the ground and crying into his hands.

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AN- There you go guys. And before anyone reviews all angry that Mikey wasn't in this chapter, relax. It may seem like he doesn't have a real part in this story, but have patience. I don't plan on leaving the poor guy out of the action. Hope you guys liked the chapter, and as always, let me know what you think. Once I get a bit of feedback, I'll start working on the next chapter.


	5. Refrain

AN- I would like to take a moment to thank my new beta, Auberetia Lycania. There's nothing greater than being able to ramble about the turtles and have someone actually know what you're talking about. You guys should take a minute or two, and look at her turtle stories. Awesome stuff.

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"Hey, dad. Whatcha up to?"

Splinter smiled as his youngest son poked his head into his room.

"Enter, Michelangelo."

Mikey's face split into a big grin as he ran into the room. It wasn't often one of the turtles were invited into their father's chambers. Splinter was sitting cross-legged on the floor, several pieces of paper surrounding him.

"Come." With a simple command, Splinter patted his hand on his knee, motioning for his son to join him. Mikey jumped up, landing in his father's lap and sending paper into the air. Despite himself, the old rat smiled.

"What are all these papers?"

"These are your brother's tests. They must condition not only their bodies, but their minds as well."

Michelangelo looked up. "You mean, so they can be ninjas?"

Splinter smiled and patted his son on the head. "Yes. A true ninja is a master of his surroundings, but also of himself."

Mikey nodded, not really listening. "Oh. Am I gonna get to be a ninja too?"

"Perhaps when you are a bit older, my son. How goes your skateboarding?"

"It's okay. If I keep practicing, will I stop falling off so much?"

Splinter reached down and rearranged the tests. "With practice, your skill will grow. Now, I have to finish grading these tests."

The youngest turtle picked up one of the papers and smiled. "Wow, Donnie is really smart! He almost got all of them right!"

"Indeed. His intellect is most certainly his strong point."

Mikey's brow twisted up in concentration. "Is my intill... ninit.."

"Intellect."

"Yeah. Is my nittilect my strong point?"

Splinter smiled, taking a moment to think. "I believe that your strong point is your personality, Michelangelo."

"Is that good?"

No matter his mood, his youngest child's charm could always make him happy. "Of course it is, my son."

Mikey stood up. "Okay. I'm gonna go practice some more skateboarding."

"Very good." The old rat watched as his son ran off to practice. _Innocence like his is rare. But still, he will soon ask to be trained... Perhaps I do spoil him. But it is in the nature of the parent to hold on to their youngest child. I suppose I will deal with it when the time comes..._ He cleared his throat, trying to clear his mind. His hand reached down, picking up another test. _Leonardo. This shouldn't be too hard. Rarely does he answer incorrectly... _

The master begun to check his pupil's work, but stopped suddenly, one eyebrow raised in surprise. _None of these are right... This is most unlike Leonardo..._ He was pulled out of his thoughts suddenly by the sound of his sons returning from their daily race through the sewers. His curiosity piqued by Leonardo's low score, he put down the test and approached the door to the living room.

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"Ha! I beat you! I win!" Raphael threw his fist into the air in a gesture of victory.

"Yeah, you got me, Raph." Leo sighed as he walked into the den. "How long are you gonna keep going on about it?"

"Forever! I'm not gonna let Mr. Perfect live this down!"

The eldest turtle hung his head. "Yeah, I figured that. I'll be in my room." And with that, he slowly walked off.

"Well, I'll see you later then, loser!" Raph snickered as his older brother walked off.

Donatello frowned as he sat down on the couch. "Don't you think you're being a bit hard on him?" _Especially since he let you win?... _He added in the back of his mind. He had seen Leo running in the race, and he purposefully slowed down towards the end. _I don't know why Leo lost on purpose, but I bet it had something to do with yesterday's sparring match..._

"I'm not being too hard on him! Are you kidding me? Mr. Smug? He's had it coming!" Raphael grinned as his brother and cracked his knuckles. "I'm gonna go get something to eat. You coming?"

Donatello shook his head. "I think I'm gonna take a nap in a minute. All that running made me tired."

Raphael shrugged. "Suit yourself. Just don't come whining to me when all the cereal's gone."

From his vantage point in his room, Splinter sighed. _Leonardo..._

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AN- Another chap completed! A bit short, I know. This just seemed like the best place to stop.


	6. Babysitting

AN- Well, here's to hoping they get everything fixed here at fanfiction. Cheers.

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_I still don't understand why Master has me babysitting Mikey today... I should be out training with Don and Raph..._ Leo sighed as he picked up a small rock, absentmindedly rolling it between his fingers.

"Hey! Leo! Leo! Lookit!" Mikey waved his arms around, trying to attract his older brother's attention. Leo waved a hand at his young charge without looking up.

"That's good, Mikey. Don't hurt yourself." _Master says I have to pay more attention to those around me... What could he mean? I should try meditating, like he does. _

"Leo! I'm gonna do a trick! You gotta watch!"

"Mikey, I'm trying to concentrate right now!" _When you can't find the answers, you must calm your mind and look within. That's what sensei always says. I just need to relax..._

The young turtle frowned, crossing his arms in frustration. Suddenly, an idea sparked in his mind. "Leo! Leo! Help! The bears got me!"

"Well, knock it off!"

"Man, he isn't even listening anymore." Mikey grumbled to himself.

"Yes I am. Stop talking."

"But..." The youngest turtle's brow furrowed in confusion.

"Look, just practice your tricks, okay? I'm trying to figure out important ninja stuff."

Michelangelo put down his skateboard and sat down next to his older sibling. "Like what? How to cut someone's head off?"

Leo shook his head and sighed. "No, doofus. Important mental stuff. You wouldn't get it."

Mikey nodded sagely. "You mean nintillect stuff, huh? I know all about that."

"I don't even want to know. Now let me concentrate."

"Nah!" The baby turtle stuck his tongue out in anger. "Well, I know ninja stuff too! Watch!" He stepped onto his skateboard and took a deep breath. "I call this the super mega ninja trick."

The wheels of Mikey's skateboard spun furiously as he kicked harder and harder, zooming around the sewer pipe at breakneck speed. Once he reached peak speed, he tensed his body, dropping into a handstand. The board continued picking up speed as he waved his feet in the air.

"I did it! Look, Leo! I did the ninja trick! Le—" Mikey was cut short as the skateboard hit a crack in the floor, sending both turtle and skateboard hurtling through the air.

At the sound of his name being cut short, Leonardo looked up in surprise. "Mikey? Oh my—"

Michelangelo's head smashed into the side of the pipe, putting a small crack in the metal. "Ow..."

His skateboard shared a similar fate, crashing into a small outcropping of pipe, sending all four wheels flying off in various directions.

"Mikey? Are you okay?" Leonardo cringed as his younger brother began wailing at the top of his lungs. Mikey shook his head no, tears flying every which way.

"My... My... My _Skateboard_!!!!" He managed to get out as he continued bawling.

Leonardo rolled his eyes. "I meant, are you hurt?"

Another shake.

"So, if I get Donnie to fix your wheels, will you be okay?"

The young turtle slowly stopped crying, nodding his head suspiciously. Leo grimaced and began collecting the broken wheels. "I can't believe I let this happen. I'm an idiot..."

Mikey nodded, a smile slowly overtaking his tears. "Yeah. You are an idiot."

"Shut up Mikey. Now you go in the living room and bother Raph while I go find Donatello."

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	7. Separation

AN- Some days, I find the hardest part of writing new chapters (besides actually starting them. ugh.) is naming them.

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Donatello rubbed the back of his neck as he leaned back in his bed. It had been a long day, and he sometimes felt that the best way to relax was to find a room where he could be by himself. He found that solitude brought him a great amount of comfort. A quiet time where he could reflect on the day.

"Hey, Donatello? You in here?" Leonardo's voice proceeded him as he made his way to the door.

Donatello sighed. _So much for solitude..._

"Yeah, Leo. I'm in here."

Leonardo walked into the room, carrying the broken pieces of Michaelangelo's skateboard. He gave his brother a sheepish grin. "Mikey kinda busted it up. I told him I'd see if you would fix it. It was the only way to get him to stop crying."

"Then I guess I have to. I'll never get any quiet with Mikey crying."

Leo wrapped his arm around his brother's neck, bringing his head down low. His other hand swiftly came around, digging his knuckles into Donnie's head, giving him some playful noogies. "You're the best, Donnie!"

"Hey, knock it off!" Donatello forcefully shoved his brother off him, stumbling backwards in anger.

Leonardo gave him a questioning look. "What's wrong with you, bro?"

The younger turtle grabbed the skateboard and busied himself looking through his makeshift toolbox, thankful for the excuse not to look up. "Nothing. Sorry, I just haven't been in the best of moods."

Leo leaned his shell back against the wall, his expression of confuison turning to one of concern for his younger brother. "Yeah, you've been acting really down lately. What's up?"

Donatello bit his lower lip as he fastened a wheel back on the board. "I just..." He let out a long sigh. "Nothing, Leo. Don't worry about it."

"Donnie, I'm your big brother. You can tell me anything."

Leo thought he heard a small snort escape from his sibling. "C'mon, Donnie! Talk to me..."

There were several minutes of silence as Donatello repaired the broken skateboard. Tension hung in the air as the introverted turtle lost himself in his work. Leonardo watched his brother intently, wondering what went on his mind.

"You know..." Donatello's voice broke the stillness, but there was a note of hesitation to his words. "Look, this ninja stuff is just really hard, okay, Leo?"

"Well, of course it is! You just gotta do your best. Look at me and Raph, we try as har..."

"Yeah, I know. Do you know how hard it is to be your younger brother?"

"Huh?" The question caught Leonardo off-guard.

Before he could recover himself, Donatello shoved the newly repaired skateboard into his hands. "Never mind. Go give this to Mikey."

Leonardo went to open his mouth, but Donatello slammed the door, putting up a wall between them. Pain and disbelief fought for control of his face as he stared at his brother's closed door. _Where did that come from?..._

* * *

"Hey, Raphael. Why do you get mad when Leo calls you Raphael?"

"Mikey, I'm warning you..."

Michealangelo beamed his biggest smile at his brother as he sat next to him on the couch. "But why? It's your name, isn't it, Raphael?"

Raph let out a low growl. "Can't you find somethin' to do?"

"But I found somethin' to do, Raphael."

The hot-tempered turtle looked at his brother, trying to hold back his anger. "Well, then, why don't you go do it?" _I can't even tell if he's doing it on purpose or not... _

"But I am doing it, Raphael. I'm saying Raphael."

"That's it!" Raph lunged at his brother, missing him by inches as he jumped off the couch and ran. They ran around the room in circles, until Michelangelo slipped, rolling to a stop on the den rug. Raph pounced on him, lifting up his fist menacingly.

"Can't you take a joke, Raphael?"

_I'm not supposed to ninja kick Mikey, I'm not supposed to ninja kick Mikey, I'm not supposed to ninja kick Mikey..._

Leonardo walked into the room, but it was obvious his mind was somewhere else. He dropped the skateboard on the floor and frowned, heading for his room. "I'm going to meditate. Donnie fixed your skateboard, Michelangelo."

From under Raph's deadly fist, Mikey cheered. "Yay!"

Leonardo got to his door and sighed. "And stop trying to kill your brother, Raphael."

* * *

AN- Time to answer and reply to a few reviews. I have a little sister, myself. And when she was 7, she acted in very much the same way as Michaelangelo. So I don't think Mikey is acting that young. But that could just be me. As for Raph bullying Donnie, they show him do it in the movie. Raphael gets his point across to donnie by threatening to hit him. That couldn't have been the first time he's done that.

As for my favorite (and least favorite), feel free to take a crack at it in your reviews. I'm curious to see what people think after reading this story. I look forward to seeing your guesses. I'll try to write a bit more in a day or so.


	8. Holding Back

AN- Not too much to talk about, just hope everyone is enjoying the story. From here on, things should at least pick up a bit more. As always, let me know what you think. That review button is only a click away!

* * *

"Leonardo, today you will spar against Donatello. I look forward to seeing how far you have both progressed. Now, before a true martial artist fights, he always shows respect to his opponent by bowing. Both of you, take your positions."

Leonardo and Donatello both moved onto the training mats, standing several paces from one another. The eldest tried to make eye contact with his brother, but Donatello turned his head downward, avoiding his older brother's piercing gaze. Leonardo frowned as they both bowed, awaiting the beginning of the fight.

"Begin!" Splinter's stick came down sharply into the concrete, beginning the match with a loud crack. Neither turtle seemed inclined to move, however, both more deeply involved with their own thoughts than the fight.

_What have I done wrong to Donnie? Why's he so upset...?_

_Leo... you better not go easy on me..._

Donatello frowned, his body subconsciously falling into the defensive position he held for most of his matches. Very rarely did he take the initiative. He pulled himself into the here and now, waiting for his brother's attack to come. _That's weird... normally Leo's throwing punches by now..._

The normally passive Donatello found something burning inside of him. _Fine! If he won't come to me, I'll go to him!_ He dashed forward, throwing out an experimental jab.

_Why do Raph and Don hate me so much? _Without paying him a second thought, Leonardo absentmindedly batted his brother's punch away. _Just because I'm good at ninjitsu? _He preformed a backwards handspring, putting some distance between himself and his annoyed younger brother.

_Look at him! He isn't even taking this seriously! _"Knock it off, Leo! Fight me!" Anger looked awkward on the gentle features of Donatello as he pursued his brother.

_This isn't right... I'd rather have my brothers than be the best... _As Donatello loomed close, Leonardo threw a clumsy punch, missing his brother's face. He left himself open for a moment, waiting for Donatello to counter.

"I...I..."

Leonardo looked up slowly, meeting his brother's tearing eyes. There was a moment of silence as something clicked in Donatello's head.

"I can't believe you!" Leo stumbled backwards, shocked by the normally quiet Donatello's outburst.

"You... you jerk! What makes you think you can pity me?"

"Pity?... what are you talking abo..."

"Save it, Leo! I'm done! If you're so good, you can go train by yourself! I quit!" The dam finally broke, and all of Donatello's frustration, fear, and shame came out in a torrent of tears.

Splinter stood up, deciding enough was enough. "Donatello! Calm yourself!"

"No!"

Even Splinter found himself jarred by his son's display. In the moment of silence that followed, Donatello covered his teary eyes with his forearm and ran out of the room. Raphael jumped up to follow him, but Splinter's stick gently came between him and the door.

"No, my son. I have pushed you all hard. This is my responsibility."

Raphael nodded as the master followed after the student. Behind him, Leonardo had slumped to the floor, fluid building behind his bloodshot eyes.

"I didn't pity him... I just..."

"You just what, Leo?"

"I didn't want him to hate me anymore..."

Raph shook his head, trying to hold in his anger. "And me? Did you not want me to hate you either?"

Leo looked up at his brother, wiping the tears forming under his eyes. _Can't let Raph see me cry..._ "What do you mean..?"

"The race, Leo. Did I beat you?"

"Raph..."

Raphael turned his back, letting out a little snort. "I shoulda known..."

"Listen..."

"No, you listen! I don't know who you think you are, deciding who wins and who loses. Maybe if you weren't so high and mighty all the time, you'd get why it sucks being your little brother--Leonardo."

Leo winced as he heard Raph say his full name for the first time for as long as he could remember. Without another word, Raph stormed out of the room. He didn't dare look back. _Can't let Leo see me cry..._

_--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_


	9. Abandoned

AN- Sorry its been a little while. Haven't really been able to sit in front of the computer. It took several sittings just to do this damn chapter.

* * *

"Donatello, my son. May I sit with you?"

Donatello looked up through eyes blotted with tears. Splinter was standing over him, a look of soft compasion on his face. The young turtle nodded quietly, moving over slightly to give his father room to sit.

"Sensei, I'm sorry about my yelling..."

"Stop."

Donatello looked up at his father with a look of surprise.

"It is I who should apologize to you. I have pushed you children very hard these past few months. For that I am sorry."

"It's just so hard, sensei... Leo always does so good, in everything. It just isn't fair."

Splinter sighed slightly. "That is not a reason to lash out at him. He is your older brother, and you should show him respect."

Donatello hung his head. "But, whenever I see Leo do something, it makes me feel like I can't do it as well as he can..."

"I can assure you, that is not his intention. He wants nothing but the best for you and Raphael."

Donatello growled, turning his head away from his master. "Well, he should think about how it affects us. He never looks at anything from our point of view."

Splinter put his hand on his son's shoulder, gently. "Well, perhaps, you should look at things from his point of view."

* * *

_Everyone hates me..._

The young Leonardo sighed, trying to steady his hand as he brought his sword to his neck.

_None of them understand me..._

He had learned to read his master's old japanese books. He would commit seppuku. He would restore his honor through his own blade.

"Hey! What the hell are you doing?"

Raphael stormed into the room, knocking the sword out of Leonardo's hand.

"Leave me alone, Raph! You wouldn't understand!"

Raphael fumed. "I wouldn't understand?! You were gonna kill yourself!"

Leonardo sighed, defeated. "See? I knew you wouldn't get it..."

Raphael growled, lifting his brother to his feet. "What don't I get? You were gonna stab youself. How hard is that?"

"I was going to restore my honor," Leonardo's eyes stared at the floor, avoiding Raphael's angry stare. "I shamed you and Donatello..."

"So?! That don't mean you hurt yourself!"

"...My existence upsets my brothers... No matter what I do, that won't change."

Raphael shook his head, anger fuming off of his face. "You're even dumber than I thought, Leo..."

"But,,," Leonardo could feel the tears pushing against the walls he had set for himself.

"You need to get over yourself, bro. Quit bein' a martyr..."

"But I'm not!" Years of self discipline caved in, and tears began to flow from the eldest turtle.Sobs that were years old flowed from Leonardo's eyes, and he dropped to his knees. "Raph... what do I do?"

Raphael looked at his older brother and shook his head. "If you can't help yourself, you can't help anyone... Pathetic..." The younger turtle turned around, walking out of his brother's room.

"Raph! Please, wait!"

But the words fell on deaf ears as Raphael walked out of the room, tuning out the sound of his older brother's cries.

------------------------------------------------------

AN- I know this was REALLY short, but I think it got the point across. I just wanted to show the aftermath of Leonardo and Donatello's argument. I'll try my best to make the next chapter longer, as I have a few ideas as to where the story should go from here. Please leave your reviews, as your opinions matter quite a bit to me. I like to know what my readers are thinking.


	10. Lost student

AN- Yeah, so its been a while, huh? Sorry it took so long to update, I really just haven't been in the right state to write. So I eventually turned to the one place where I knew I would be able to write turtles stuff. A pizza buffet. I spent a few hours sitting in a pizza buffet, putting together this chapter. I felt it was fitting. Enjoy!

* * *

"Leonardo! You must focus!"

Splinter sighed as he noticed the far away look in his son's eyes. Donatello and Raphael had stopped training, spending more time together out playing in the sewers. _If nothing else, _Splinter mused, _at least this has brought them closer. But, Leonardo..._

"Alright, my son. one more lesson, and you are free to do as you wish for the rest of the day."

Leonardo nodded, but it was obvious his heart wasn't in it. Normally, the young turtle's eyes lit up at the thought of advancing his training. Now, his eyes seemed dulled as he lifted up his wooden training swords.

Splinter eached into the recesses of his robe, pulling out a pair of nunchacku. "You have learned how to deflect your brother's sai and bo. Now I will teach you how to defend yourself from my weapon."

The nunchacku became a blur as the old master effortlessly brought them to life with a flick of his wrists.

"The nunchacku are always in motion. This is both their strength and weakness. It is difficult to break the rythym of a nunchacku master, but once you do, you have a small window of opportunity to strike."

the master pulled back into a defensive position, his weapons whirling around him at immense speed. he gave his student a small but cunning smile. "See if you can break my rythym, Leonardo."

The young turtle tried in vain to follow the movement of the weapons. _They just move too fast..._Growling in frustration, he lunged forward, throwing out one of his swords in an experimental jab.

Before he knew what had happened, one of Splinter's nunchacku wrapped around his sword. In one fluid motion, the rat yanked the sword from his hand. As he stumbled forward, the other nunchacku came from seemingly nowhere, catching him in the back of the head.

"You waste energy with unneccesary movement, Leonardo. Every action you take should have purpose."

Leonardo nodded, grasping his remaining sword with both hands. His eyes darted around rapidly. trying to keep up with his master's weapons. Then, with a suddeness that shocked even Splinter, he dashed forward, aiming his sword low. Splinter jumped into the air, flipping over his young charge. On his way down, a nunchacku came down once again on the back of his son's head.

Leonardo let out a yell, spinning around and swinging his sword with as much strength as he could muster. Splinter brought one of his nunchacku forward, smashing through the young turtle'swodden training sword. The act of anger earned Leo one final strike on the head before his master dropped his weapons to his side.

"That will be enough for today. I hope you have learned that the nunchacku are not as flimsy as they look."

Leonardo bowed in shame, realizing that he had failed some sort of test. "Yes, sensei."

Splinter nodded. "The rest of the day is yours. Perhaps some meditation will help you to clear your head."

As master and pupil parted, a small pair of eyes emerged from the shadows, wide in amazement. Michealangelo grinned as he stared at his brother's shattered training sword.

"Those nunchucks are the coolest!"

* * *

AN- Hopefully it won't be quite so long a wait for the next chapter. TIll next time! Remember, you must review. It is essential! 


	11. Troubled youth

AN- Yes, I am quite aware at how bad my update times are getting. You can blame my job , if you like. I do.

* * *

Barbara Watts shook her head as her son came down the stairs for his breakfast. Over the past year, her sweet boy Charles had transformed into one of those vagrant children she often saw as she walked to the grocery store. They had never had much money, but she knew her boy had better clothes than the ripped denim jacket and heavy boots he now wore as he took his seat at the breakfast table. 

"Good morning, young man. Did you get a good night's sleep?"

Charles frowned as he looked into his cereal bowl. "Uh, yeah, ma. Just not in the mood to go to school."

"Really? Because I seem to remember hearing you come in at two thirty in the morning last night."

The young boy's eyes betrayed him in a moment of shock. He had tried to sneak in as quietly as possible. His mother glared at her young child. "Where were you last night?"

"C'mon, ma. 'S not important. I was just out with some friends. I'm old enough to stay out late."

"You are twelve years old! You need to be worried about school!"

Charles shook his head and laughed. "No way. School is fer chumps."

Barbara's angry eyes softened in sadness. When had her son learned to talk like that? "Do you want to live the rest of your life here? You could make something of yourself, Charles. Do better than I did."

Charles threw down his spoon in disgust. "Not like that would be hard."

Both of the tired woman's hands came down heavily on the table. "Don't you dare! I know things haven't been easy since your father died..."

"Don't blame this on dad!"

Something in Charles' voice pulled Barbara out of her anger. _Is that what this is all about?... _But before she could say anything, her son went to leave the table. As he turned to go, she noticed a spot of purple on his arm, mostly covered by his tshirt sleeve.

"What is that?"

As his mother came closer to his arm, he puled back, trying to cover more of his arm with his sleeve. "Nuthin, ma. I gotta go to school."

But before he could get to the door, her hand shot out, gripping tightly around his wrist. "Hold it, young man."

Barbara pulled up her son's sleeve, and was horrified to see she was right. Her boy had gotten a tattoo. A dark purple dragon had been etched ino her son's forearm. The inital shock of the tattoo wore off, and the gears in her brain began to turn. She had seen that dragon before, sprayed onto the sides of buildings...

Charles pulled way and got the front door open. "I hafta go, ma. I'll be late fer school."

A deep sadness fell over the woman as she watched her son leaving. She felt an overpowering urge to pull him next to her, to hug him tightly and never let him go. To hide him from the evils of the world. The evils of gangs. "Be careful, Charles...", she whispered, but the door had already slammed in her face.

* * *

"Hey. Leo." 

Leonardo jumped slightly as a hand touched his shoulder, pulling him out of his meditation. He opened his eyes and was surprised to find Raphael standing in front of him. Raphael and Donatello had barely said anything to him over the past two months.

"What do you want, Raph? I was meditating."

"Yeah, heaven forbid you stop meditating for a minute."

Leonardo rolled his eyes. "Did you interupt just to annoy me?"

"Well, that, and I had a favor to ask."

The eldest turtle raised his brow in surprise. "What could you want with me?"

"Me and Donnie want you to come out into the sewers with us."

"Donnie and I." Leonardo corrected, almost as if a reflex.

Raph crossed his arms and frowned. "Donnie and I." He restated in a mocking tone.

Leo slowly stood up, rubbing away the soreness of his neck. "Why would you guys want me to come with you? Neither of you has said a word to me in weeks."

Raph's hands fell to his sides. So much for beating around the bush... "Look, Splinter says you need to go out. So we're not aloud to explore unless you come too."

Leonardo's eyes slanted in anger as he turned away. "For a minute, I actually thought you wanted me to come."

Raph's eyes widened in panic. "We do!"

"Yeah! Cuz Splinter made you!"

"No! Its cuz... Well, yeah... But still! Ya gotta come! We found something..." Raph slapped his hand over his mouth to cut off his sentence.

Leonardo turned back toward his brother in sudden curiosity. "You found something?"

Raph shook his head no, his hand still covering his mouth.

"What did you find?"

"Nuthin, honest. We just want to go out for a bit."

Leo smiled slightly. "Okay. I do feel like coming out now. I wanna see what you guys found!"

As Leo ran off ahead, Raph hung his head. "Me and my big mouth..."

* * *

AN- Don't worry, Charles isn't some OC. He is a registered character in the TMNT world, he just goes by a different name. More on him next chapter. I'll try to get it out soon. 


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